Title: "The King's High Priestly Ministry Begins"

Text: Matthew 26 & 27

INTRO: *** Matthew 27 -- A Continuation from Chapter 26

I. A Murderous Council and a Lamb Led to Slaughter

Matthew 27:1-2

A. And the Evening and the Morning were the Worst Day

Verse 1 c/f Genesis 1:1-5

1. On the First Day of Creation God Said : "Let there Be Light."

Verse 3

a. God Saw the Light that It was Good !

Verse 4

b. And the Evening and the Morning were the First Day.

Verse 5

2. On Another Day God Sent His Son Into the World to Be the

Light of the World and Save the World.

John 3:17 ; John 1:4-5 , & 9

a. Men Saw the Light and Beheld the Glory of the Son of God -

But Rejected Him and His Salvation Because of their Love

for Sin and Themselves MORE than they Loved God and

the Truth.

John 1:9-11 , & 14 c/f John 3:18-21

b. The Evening and the Morning were the Worst Day

Matthew 27:1

1.) Throughout the Evening Hours they Badgered Jesus with

Questions and False Accusations.

2.) When the Morning Came they Made their Official De-

cision to Put their King to Death.

3.) This was By Far the Worst Day in the History of the

World.

B. The Binding of the Sacrifice

Verse 2 c/f Psalm 118:26-27

1. In the Old Testament the Jewish Priests would Bind the Sacri-

ficial Animals to the Horns of the Altar, so they Would Not Get

Away.

2. It was Not the Ropes of Men that Bound Our Lord that Day - but

the Cords of God's Love for You and For Me.

John 3:16 c/f John 15:13

3. The Ropes Could Not Hold Jesus any More than they were Able

to Hold Samson in the Old Testament.

Judges 16:10-12

C. The Lamb Led to Slaughter

Matthew 27:2 c/f Isaiah 53:6-7

1. Jesus Did Not Resist.

2. He Did Not Protest.

3. He Just Quietly Humbled Himself & Became Obedient Unto

Death.

Philippians 2:5-8

D. The Contradiction of Sinners that Jesus Endured

Matthew 27:1-2 c/f Hebrews 12:2-3

1. That Sinners would Condemn the ONE who Knew NO Sin

John 8:3-7 & II Corinthians 5:21

2. That the Judge of the Whole World would Himself Be Judged

By Mortal Men

Acts 17:30-31

3. That the Charge of Blasphemy, which Resulted in His Death

Sentence, would be Leveled Against Him, Who ALONE Did

ALWAYS the Things that Pleased the Father

Matthew 26:65-66 c/f John 8:29 & Matthew 3:17

II. The End of a Traitor

Matthew 27:3-5

A. The Great Mystery of Judas' Betrayal

Verse 3 -- When he Saw that He was Condemned, Repented

1. He Repented HIMSELF - or Changed his Mind.

2. The Question Begs for an Answer ; What Did he Expect when

he Betrayed Him ?

a. Did Judas Not Expect that the Elders, which had Openly

Opposed Jesus and Even Tried to Stone Him in the Past,

would Condemn Him ?

John 11:5-8

b. The Facts Clearly Say Yes that Judas would Naturally have

Expected the Jews to Condemn Jesus.

Matthew 26:1-5

c. If Judas would have Naturally Expected the Jewish Leaders to Condemn Jesus, then we are Left to Conclude that it was

the Lord's Response to His Being Condemned that Judas

had Not Anticipated.

3. Why Did the Lord's Condemnation Cause Judas to Change his

Mind About his Betrayal of Jesus ?

4. One Possible Explanation is that Judas was a Jewish Zealot,

who Opposed the Roman's Rule Over Israel, and he Thought

that if Jesus were Backed into a Corner that He would Rise Up

in Miraculous Power to Throw Off Roman Rule & Reestablish

Jewish Sovereignty within the Land of Israel.

5. In Reality Only God, the Devil, and Judas Really Understand

what Motivated him to Betray the Lord on that Infamous Even-

ing so Long Ago.

B. Repenting Himself -- Rather than Repentance Toward God

Verse 3 c/f Acts 20:20-21

C. A Confession to Men -- Rather than a Confession to God

Verse 4 c/f I John 1:8-9

D. A Lost Gain & a Lost Soul

Verses 3-5 c/f Matthew 16:26 ; John 17:12 ; John 6:70-71 ;

& Psalm 73:1-22

E. A Sad & Pathetic End to a Life with Great Opportunity

Verse 5 -- Judas, One of the Twelve, ... Went & Hanged Himself.

F. We Must Take Great Pains that we Do Not Waste the

Opportunities that we Have to Serve the Lord in Our Own

Lives .

III. A Lawful Disposal of Blood Money

Matthew 27:6-10 -- The Purchase of the Potter's Field

A. A Glaring Hypocrisy

Verses 6-7 c/f Matthew 23:24 -- Strain at a Gnat

1. They Carefully Avoid Breaking the Law with Regard to Putting

Blood Money into the Treasury, But they Completely Ignore

the Lawful Command to Not Participate in Bearing False

Witness, which Brought About Christ's Conviction and Made

the Pieces of Silver Into Blood Money in the First Place.

Exodus 20:16 c/f Matthew 26:59-60 & Proverbs 6:16-19

2. They Mourn the Murder of the Prophets & the Shedding of the

Innocent Blood in Past Generations But Actively Participate in

the Death of the Greatest Prophet Ever and the Most Innocent

Blood Ever to be Shed.

Matthew 23:29-30 c/f Hebrews 1:1-8 & Hebrews 7:25-27

B. A Field of Blood

Verses 7-8

1. A Rose by Any Other Name is Still a Rose & Still Smells

Sweet.

2. A Skunk by Any Other Name is Still a Skunk & Still Stinks.

3. A Field of Blood May be Called a Field to Bury Strangers in,

But it is Still a Field of Blood, & Blood Money Stinks - No

Matter What You Do with It.

4. A Political Spin Does Not Change the Truth in Any Way !!!

a. We Have So Much Political Spin Placed Upon the Events in

Our World Today that We Really Have to be Discerning to

Know the Real Truth.

b. We Also Need to Be Very Careful About Where we Get Our

Counsel and Our World View From, because Not Every

Source is Interested in the Real Truth.

C. A Prophecy Fulfilled

Verses 6-10

1. A SEEMING Contradiction

a. Jeremiah Did Not Write the Words that are Attributed to

Him.

b. Zechariah Did Write Words that are Very Similar to the

Words Matthew Attributes to Jeremiah.

Zechariah 11:12-13

c. Several Things to Consider

1.) All the Prophetical Books of the Old Testament were

Placed Together in Ancient Jewish History and Counted

as One "Book of the Prophets."

Acts 7:42 c/f Amos 5:25

2.) Since Jeremiah was the First Book within the "Book of

the Prophets" , His Name was Used in a General

Sense to Label the Book and All the Writings of the

Individual Prophets Contained therein.

3.) We KNOW that Jeremiah Portrayed the Lord as Being

The Potter, which had Molded and then Even Re-

shaped Israel.

Jeremiah 18:1-10 c/f Romans 9:20-23

4.) We Know that God had Instructed Jeremiah to Buy a

Field as a Prophetic Sign that Israel would Again Pos-

sess the Land After the Babylonian Captivity.

Jeremiah 32:6-15

5.) Matthew May be Using Jeremiah's Name in a General

Sense as a Label and May be Referring to Zechariah's

Writings thereby, OR He May be Alluding to the

Purchase of the Field with the Potter's Own Blood

Money as a Prophetic Sign Similar to Jeremiah's

Purchase of His Uncle's Field.

2. An Important Distinction

a. Matthew Does Not Write that Jeremiah Wrote -- but Rather

that He SAID .

Verse 9 -- "... That which was Spoken ..."

b. Jeremiah Did Not Have to Write Every Utterance that He

Spoke Necessarily as a Prophet.

John 21:25 c/f John 20:30-31

c. Jeremiah Could Very Well Have Spoken that which Zech-

ariah Later Wrote Down.

Jude Verses 14-15 -- Enoch -- Genesis 5

3. An Important Application

a. These Verses Remind Us of the Importance of Proclaiming

the Verbal Inspiration of the Scriptures.

b. The SEEMING Contradiction is Only because We Attach

Meanings to Words that Do Not Always Apply and Come Up

with Conclusions which are Inconsistent with what we Think

we Know.

1.) Matthew "Said" Spoken.

2.) Actually, Matthew WROTE Spoken.

3.) We ASSUME Matthew Meant that Jeremiah Wrote the

Words that He Quotes.

4.) We Look in Jeremiah's Writings and Don't Find the

Words that Matthew Quotes, so we Conclude that

there's a Contradiction in the Bible.

5.) Sometimes we Can Say Matthew SAID or Jeremiah

SAID , when we are Talking About what they Actually

WROTE , and there is No Contradiction.

6.) Still, at Other Times when we Assume that because

Matthew Wrote that Jeremiah had Spoken Something

that He Must Also have Written It, We Find Ourselves

Forced Into Concluding that there is a Contradiction

Because Of a FALSE ASSUMPTION.

7.) We Must, therefore, be Careful Not to Read Into God's

Word Something that is Not Actually Written therein.

4. The Significance of this Prophecy's Fulfillment

a. It Serves as One More Proof that Jesus Christ was the

Messiah Promised in the Old Testament.

b. If You Add Up All the Prophecies About Messiah that were

Fulfilled in the Life of Jesus Christ and Consider their

Statistical Probability, You can Only Conclude that Jesus

Christ Was and IS that Messiah.

D. The Paltry Value that Israel Placed Upon her King

Verse 9

1. Thirty Pieces of Silver

2. The Price of a Slave

E. A Place of Rest Purchased By the Blood of Jesus Christ

Verses 6-7

1. Rest for the Body in the Field of Blood

2. Rest for the Weary Soul by the Redemption Blood of the Lamb

I Peter 1:18-19 c/f Matthew 11:28-30

IV. The Lamb's Trial Before Pilate, the Governor of Judah

Matthew 27:11-26 c/f John 18:28 - 19:18 ; Mark 15:1-15 ;

& Luke 23:1-25

A. John's Account is the Most Personal and Detailed , while

Luke Adds the Details About the Arrangement to Allow

Herod to Interrogate Christ Before Pilate Passed Sentence

on the Lord.

John 18:28 - 19:18 c/f Luke 23:4-12

B. The Initial Interrogation

Verses 11-14

1. An Inquisition and Confirmation of Christ's Kingship

Verse 11

2. Multiple Accusations Unanswered

Verses 12-14 c/f I Peter 2:18-23

a. He Reviled Not Again.

b. He Committed His Judgment to His Father & Refused to

Answer His Accusers or Pilate in a Defensive Manner.

C. A Loophole for Leniency Sought

Verses 15-23

1. An Appeal to the People and a Bypassing of the Envious

Leaders

Verses 15-18

2. An Ingenious Contrast

Verses 16-17 & 21-23 c/f Mark 15:6-7

a. A Notable Prisoner

b. A Leader of an Insurrection

c. A Murderer

d. There were Other Prisoners that were Less Notable &

Etceteras.

D. A Solemn Warning

Verse 19

E. An Evil Persuasion

Verse 20

F. A Malleable Multitude

Verses 20-23 -- Pliable -- Able to Be Shaped & Molded

G. An Important Question

Verse 22 -- "What Shall I Do ... ?"

H. An Evil Chorus

Verse 22-23 -- "They ALL Say ... Let Him be Crucified."

I. An Impotent Gesture

Verse 24 -- "He Took Water ... & Washed ... Saying ... Innocent"

J. An Ignorant Curse

Verse 25 -- "His Blood be Upon Us & Our Children."

K. A Reluctant Release

Verse 26

1. He Released Barabbas From his Prison Cell.

2. He Released Jesus To the Will of His Enemies to be Cru-

cified.

V. The Soldier's Abuse & Crucifixion of the Lamb

Matthew 27:26-38

A. A Roman Scourging Endured

Verse 26

1. A Roman Cat of Nine Tails

2. A Jewish Limitation in Number of Lashes at 40

3. A Roman Scourging Had No Such Limitations and Often

Ended with the Internal Organs Falling Out of the Body and

the Prisoner's Death at the Whipping Post.

B. A Band of Mocking Men

Verses 27-31

1. They Brought Him to the Lion's Den.

Verse 27 c/f Psalms 22:12-21

2. They Stripped Him of His Common Clothes and Dressed Him

Like a King.

Verse 28

3. A Crown, a Scepter, & a Mocking Bow

Verse 29

a. One Day their Knees Will Bow Again to the True King of

ALL Kings.

Philippians 2:5-11

b. God Will Have the Last Laugh & Mock the Mockers.

Proverbs 1:24-33 -- Especially Verse 26

4. A Shameful Spitting and a Gruesome Beating

Verse 30 c/f Luke 22:63-65 ; Isaiah 50:6 & Isaiah 52:14

5. A Robe Removed & a Back Ripped Raw with Reopened

Wounds

Verse 31

C. A Man Compelled to Bear His Cross

Verse 32

1. Simon was Compelled by Roman Law By the Lips & Swords

of Roman Soldiers.

2. We Too are Compelled By the Gospel Law to Go Into Every

Land Bearing the Message of His Cross to a Dying World.

Mark 16:15

3. We are Also Compelled By the Words of Jesus & Our Love

for God to Bear Our OWN Cross of Death to Self, so We

May Carry His Cross to Dying Men.

Luke 14:26-27 ; John 14:15 ; II Timothy 2:4 ; &

II Corinthians 5:21

D. The Most Awful - Yet Wonderful Place in the Whole World

Verse 33 -- " ... A Place Called Golgotha "

1. The Most Awful Because THERE was COMMITTED the

GREATEST CRIME in All of Human History, the Crucifixion

of the Son of God

a. A Crime of Great Injustice

John 8:46-47; John 8:40; I Peter 2:22; & Romans 6:23

b. A Crime of Contradictory Nature

John 8:7 ; John 8:46 ; John 8:40 ; Romans 3:10 ;

Romans 3:23 ; & Hebrews 12:3

2. The Most Wonderful Place Because THERE GOD'S

HOLINESS & WRATH WERE SATISFIED in His Justice &

Mercy THROUGH THE OFFERING OF JESUS CHRIST

FOR OUR SINS

Psalms 85:10

a. God's Holiness was Offended by the Uncleanness of

Sinful Man.

I Peter 1:16-17 c/f Isaiah 64:6 & Revelation 21:27

b. God's Wrath was Poured Out Against the Sins of Man, &

His Justice was Served Upon and Satisfied Within the

Person of His Son.

Ezekiel 18:4 ; I Peter 2:24 ; Romans 6:23 ;

Isaiah 53:6-12 ; I John 2:1-2 ; & Psalms 85:10

c. It was a Wonderful Place in the Same Sense that the

Cross was Glorious.

Galatians 6:14

*** It was a Wonderful Place because a Wondrous Event

Took Place There : Man's Redemption.

E. An Anesthetic Refused

Verse 34 -- Gall - an Opiate Derivative

1. There Will Be No Anesthetic in Hell to Dull the Pain or the

Senses of them that are Tormented therein.

Luke 16:22-24

2. Jesus Took the Bitter Cup of the Wrath of God and

Refused the Cup that would Ease His Torment.

3. He Bore the Full Measure of Pain that Our Sins Deserved,

so the Father's Justice could be Completely Satisfied !

Isaiah 53:10-12 & I John 2:1-2

F. The Darkest Prophecy Fulfilled

Verse 35 c/f Psalm 22

*** Of All of the Prophecies in the Scriptures , the Prophecy of

the Crucifixion is Certainly the Darkest and Most Awful.

G. The Dirty Work Finished and the Waiting and the

Watching Begins

Verse 36

1. Consider Those Who Watched Him there.

a. The Soldiers themselves, who were Just Doing their

Jobs as Protectors of the Roman Authority in the Land

b. The Jewish Leaders & Haters of Christ, who Saw Him as

a Threat to their Position and Place as Leaders Among

the People

John 11:47-50

c. The Morbid Mob that Always Shows Up to Watch a

" Good Execution "

d. The Uncommitted Curious, who had Not Yet Made Up

their Minds about Jesus and What to Believe Concerning

Him.

e. The Sorrowing Disciples Both Near and Afar Off, whose

Hearts were Being Overwhelmed with Sadness and

Uncertainty Over the Question of Why this Awful Event

Had to Take Place and What would be the End Result.

2. Consider the Scene as though You were There.

a. First, Consider the Blood, the Blood of the Lamb being

Slain, Pouring Out of His Bleeding Wounds and Run-

ning Down His Body and the Cross to the Ground.

1.) The Blood is Plenteous.

2.) The Blood is Precious.

I Peter 1:18-19

3.) The Blood is Proficient ( Effective in Providing

I Peter 1:18-19 -- Redemption &

Leviticus 17:11 -- Atonement for the Soul ).

4.) The Blood is Purifying.

I John 1:7 -- Cleanseth

b. Consider the Noisy Tumult.

1.) The Noise of the Mockers

2.) The Noise of the Cursing Thieves

3.) The Noise of the Weeping Women

4.) The Noise of the Gambling Guards

5.) The Noise of the Curious Questions being Asked

and Discussed

c. Consider the Wounds that Bleed.

1.) A Wounded Scalp with a Crown of Thorns

Psalm 68:21

a.) God's Crowning Touch in Creation was the Man, whom He Created In His Own Image.

Genesis 1:26-28

(1.) Man Refused to Submit his Mind to God

and Chose to Think for himself in the

Garden of Eden.

Genesis 3:4-6

(2.) Through Man's Sin a Curse of Thorns was

Placed Upon the Ground From which Man

was Formed.

Genesis 3:17-18 & Genesis 2:7

b.) God Placed a Cursed Crown Upon the Precious

Head of Jesus Christ as Man's Representative.

(1.) God Cursed His Crowning Achievement for

his Sin and Rebellion.

(2.) God Cursed the Perverted Judgment of Man

that Exalted Itself Against the Knowledge of

God's Word.

I Corinthians 10:3-5

2.) A Wounded Back for the Folly of Godless Living

Psalm 14:1-3 ; Proverbs 26:3 ; Proverbs 17:10 ; &

Isaiah 53:6

3.) Two Wounded Hands for the Works of Iniquity that

Men have Performed therewith

Isaiah 59:6

4.) Two Wounded Feet for the Many Times that Ours

were Swift in Running to Mischief

Proverbs 6:16-18

5.) A Wounded Side for the Wicked Heart that is At the

Source of All of Man's Rebellion and Sin

Jeremiah 17:9 & Proverbs 6:16-18

d. Consider the Light of the World, when the Sun Refused

to Shine.

Matthew 27:46 c/f John 8:12

1.) The Light of the Father's Countenance Turned to a

Shadow of Darkness, when He Turned His Back on

His Son.

Psalm 4:6 ; Habakkuk 1:13 ; & Matthew 27:46

2.) The Light of the World In the Life of Jesus was Being

Poured Out with His Precious Blood, as He was

Dying on the Cross.

John 1:4 c/f Leviticus 17:11

3.) It was the Hour of Darkness , because Men had

Rejected the Light of Truth because of their Love For

Sin.

Luke 22:52:53 & John 3:19-20

H. His Accusation Written

Verse 37 -- Jesus King of the Jews

1. The Accusation was - First - a Slam at the Envious

Jewish Leaders, who had Accused Jesus.

Matthew 27:15-18 c/f John 11:47-50

2. Jesus was Born to Die as the King of the Jews.

Matthew 2:1-2 c/f Matthew 27:37

3. There was Also a Second Accusation Nailed there -

Though It was Not Written with a Pen and Ink.

Colossians 2:14 c/f I Peter 2:24-25

I. His Companions In Death

Matthew 27:38 -- Two Thieves

1. Another Prophecy Fulfilled

Isaiah 53:9 -- He Made His Grave with the Wicked.

2. There Should have Been Three Wicked Men Crucified

that Day, but Jesus Took the Place of Barabbas.

Matthew 27:21-23

3. Consider the Song : " I Should Have Been Crucified , "

For You and I Were as Barabbas was on that Day.

4. Jesus Died Like He Lived : In the Midst of Sinners, but

Separate From them.

Matthew 9:9-13 c/f Hebrews 7:25-27

IV. The Cruel Mockery of the Crucified Lamb

Matthew 27:39-44

A. Three Groups Mentioned that Reviled Him There

1. Those that Passed By

Verses 39-40

2. The Chief Priests, the Scribes, and Elders

Verses 41-43

3. The Two Thieves Being Crucified With Him

Verse 44

B. The Knowledge of His Ministry & Teachings Demonstrated

by His Mockers

Verses 40-43

1. Destroying the Temple & Raising It in Three Days

Verse 40

2. His Claim to Be the Son of God

Verses 40 & 43

3. His Ministry As & Claim to Be the Savior of Men

Verse 42

4. His Claim to Be the King of Israel

Verse 42

5. His Teachings Regarding Having Faith In ( or Trusting ) God

Verse 43

C. This Mockery was Not Done in a Vacuum of Ignorance - but

in Willful Unbelief !

John 7:17

D. The Only Ones who May have Had Somewhat of an Excuse

were the Thieves , and One of them Later Repented.

Luke 23:39-43

E. Those Religions & Religious Leaders Today, who Constantly

Place Jesus Back on the Cross to CONTINUE His Sacrifice

which He Declared was FINISHED , are MOCKING Him

Today , who was ONCE OFFERED FOR SINS.

John 19:30 c/f Hebrews 10:8-14

VII. The Darkest Hours of Human History

Matthew 27:45-46

A. When the Light of the World was Pouring Out His Life IN

the Hour of Darkness.

John 8:12 ; John 1:4-5 ; Leviticus 17:11 ; Luke 22:52-53 c/f

Verse 45

B. When the Righteousness of God was Made to Be Sin FOR

US & to Suffer In Our Place .

II Corinthians 5:21 & I Peter 3:18

C. When God the Father Turned His Back On the Sins of the

World , which were Laid On Jesus, His Son.

Isaiah 53:6 ; I Peter 2:24 ; Psalm 90:9 ; & Habakkuk 1:13

D. When His Chosen Lamb would Take Our Sins Away Under

Judgment as the Scapegoat Did in the Old Testament

Colossians 2:14 ; Leviticus 16:7-10 & 20-22 ; Hebrews 10:1-8

E. When the Begotten Son was Forsaken that the Adopted Sons

& Daughters Might Never be Forsaken

Verse 46 c/f John 3:16 ; Romans 8:16 ; Galatians 4:4-6 ;

Hebrews 13:5

VIII. A Silence Broken and a Frenzied Response

Matthew 27:46-49

A. A Prophetical Rhetorical Question

Verse 46 c/f Psalm 22:1

B. The Men with Ears , who Do Not Hear the Word of God

Verses 47 & 49 c/f Matthew 13:9

*** We Have Many Today, who are Just Like these Men.

C. The Living Water Giver Thirsts .

Verse 48 c/f John 19:28-29 ; John 7:37-39 & John 4:10-14

D. The One Ready to Relieve

Verse 48 -- One of them RAN ...

E. The Men, who Look for the Wrong Deliverance

Verse 49

1. They were Looking in the Wrong Place, because they Weren't

Listening to the Word of God.

2. This Reminds Me of Many Charismatics & Others Today.

IX. A FINISHED WORK

Matthew 27:50 c/f John 19:30 & Luke 23:44-47

A. The Work of Redemption & Salvation

I Peter 1:18-19 c/f John 3:16-17

B. IT IS FINISHED Because It is GOD'S WORK .

Jonah 2:9 c/f John 3:16-17

C. Because Salvation is a FINISHED WORK OF GOD , there is

NO GOOD WORK that a MAN Can DO or is Required to

DO in Order to be Saved !!!

Ecclesiastes 3:14 c/f Ephesians 2:8-10

D. God EXPECTS our Salvation to be FOLLOWED By Good

Works, but He Does Not Require that Our Salvation be

PRECEDED by and , therefore , Earned By Good Works.

Ephesians 2:8-10 & Titus 3:5-7

E. Good Works Like Being Baptized Follow Our Salvation AS

THE ANSWER OF A GOOD CONSCIENCE TOWARD GOD.

I Peter 3:16-22 & I Peter 2:24-25

1. Before a Man is Saved he Has an Evil Conscience ( or a

Painful & Hurtful Conscience ) Because of his Rebellion

& Sin Against God.

Hebrews 10:22 c/f Isaiah 53:6

2. Through the Blood of Jesus Christ & the New Covenant ( or

New Testament ) God Purges ( or Cleanses ) Man's Heart

From this Evil Conscience, which was Caused By and Led

to Dead Works.

Hebrews 9:6-14 c/f Hebrews 10:1-5 & 9 - 22

3. When the Evil Conscience has Been Purged From It's Dead

Works By the Full Assurance of Faith In the Blood of Jesus,

Man's Direction & Service in Life Changes.

Hebrews 10:22 c/f Hebrews 9:14 ; Romans 6:16-22 ; &

I Peter 2:24-25

4. The First Act of Obedience for a New Believer in Jesus Christ

is to Submit to Believer's Baptism as the Answer of a Good

Conscience Toward God.

Matthew 28:19-20 ; Acts 2:36-40 ; Luke 3:3 ; Acts 10:43-48 ;

Hebrews 9:22-28 ; & I Peter 3:16-22

5. In the Old Testament House of God the Worshipper's Central

Focus was On the Brazen Altar, Directly Beyond which Lay

the Laver of Cleansing.

Exodus 40:6-7

6. The Old Testament Tabernacle Characterized the Person &

Work of the Lord Jesus Christ as well as Man's Divine Service

Before the Lord & Men within the House of God.

Hebrews 9:1 & Exodus 40:1-7

a. Before the Tabernacle Stood the Brazen Altar & Laver of

Cleansing.

Exodus 40:6-7 c/f Ephesians 5:26 ; Hebrews 10:22 ;

& Titus 3:5

b. In the Tabernacle was the Candlestick, the Table of Shew-

bread, & the Altar of Incense.

John 8:12 ; Matthew 5:14-16 ; John 6:35 ;

Hebrews 4:14-16 ; & Luke 11:5-13

c. In the Holiest ( or the Holy of Holies ) was the Golden

Censer, the Ark of the Covenant, and the Mercy Seat.

Hebrews 9:35 ; Hebrews 4:14-16 ; I Peter 2:9 ; &

I Timothy 2:1-8

X. The WAY INTO the Holiest

Matthew 27:51a c/f Hebrews 10:19-20

A. A Unique Way

John 14:6 c/f Hebrews 10:19

B. A Consecrated Way

Hebrews 10:20

C. A New & Living Way

Hebrews 10:20

D. A Way of Boldness

Hebrews 10:19 c/f Hebrews 4:14-16

E. A God Made Way

Matthew 27:51a -- God Tore the Veil

Genesis 22:8 -- God Will Provide Himself a Sacrifice.

XI. The Aftershock of Calvary

Matthew 27:51b - 56

A. The Earth Quakes , & the Rocks are Broken.

Verse 51

B. The Graves were Opened

Verse 52

C. Many Bodies of the Saints Arose.

Verse 52

D. The Risen Saints Come Out of their Graves & Appear to

Many in Jerusalem After Christ's Resurrection.

Verse 53 c/f John 11:25-26 , 43-48 , & 53 ; &

Matthew 28:1-4 & 11-15

E. The Soldiers who were Watching Believed.

Verse 54 c/f Luke 23:34 & 42

F. The Faithful Women Followers Stay With Him Until the End.

Verses 55-56 c/f John 19:25-27

1. Notice that the Women were Standing BY the Cross Before

the Earthquake.

John 19:25

2. After the Earthquake, the Women are Standing AFAR OFF.

Matthew 27:55

3. They Probably Ran Away During the Earthquake Fearing the

Judgment of God.

Numbers 16:28-34

XII. The Slain Lamb is Buried In a Temporary Tomb.

Matthew 27:57-61 c/f John 19:38-42

A. The Rich In His Death

Verse 57 c/f Isaiah 53:9

B. The Cowardly Believers

Verse 57 c/f John 19:38-39

1. The Term SECRET DISCIPLE Should be an Oxymoron :

Two Terms which Absolutely Do Not Fit Together.

2. Joseph & Nicodemus were Apparently Both on the Sanhedrin,

the Jewish Supreme Court, that Condemned Jesus to Die.

Luke 23:50-52 c/f John 3:1-10 & John 7:45-53

3. FAR TOO MANY People are Content to be Secret Disciples.

4. Far too Many People are Satisfied with Being Able to say :

" Well, I Didn't Consent to the Counsel & Deed of them. "

5. We Need People who are Willing to Stand Up and Raise a

Holy Stink Against that Kind of Counsel and Deed.

6. That is the Reason Why Most Every Institution of Men Started

By Good Men is Eventually Overrun By Bad Men -- Because

Good Men Keep their Mouths Shut and Are Too Gutless to

Fight for What is Right.

C. A Hasty Preparation and Burial of the Lamb

Matthew 27:57-61 & John 19:38-42 c/f Luke 23:52 - 24:3

1. The High Sabbath -- Passover

John 19:31 -- Sabbath -- Wednesday Evening

a. Normally, Sabbaths are On Saturday, the Seventh Day

of the Week.

b. We Normally Think of a Day Beginning at 12 O'Clock

Midnight OR in the Morning At Sunrise.

c. For the Jews, however, the Day Begins with the Evening,

which Generally Speaking is at 6pm - but More Exactly

Speaking at the Time We Call Sunset, when the Sun is

No Longer Visible Over the Horizon.

Genesis 1:1-5

1.) The Evening or Night Ran from 6pm to 6am.

2.) The Morning or Day Ran from 6am to 6pm.

3.) The Entire Period from Sunset to Sunset was Consid-

ered One Day.

d. For the Jews the Normal Sabbath Begins at 6pm or

Sundown on Our Friday and Runs Until 6pm or

Sundown on Our Saturday.

e. Jesus Did Not Die On a Regular Sabbath -- but at the

Time of the Preparation for the High Sabbath of Pass-

over.

John 19:31-32 c/f Exodus 12:1-14

f. The Jews Wanted the Crucified Three to be Dead Before

Sundown, so they Could be Taken Down and Buried to

Avoid the Curse of God on their Most Sacred Holy Day.

John 19:31-34 c/f Deuteronomy 21:22-23

2. Jesus Died on Wednesday Afternoon at Approximately

3pm - Not on " Good Friday " Like the Catholic and

Protestant Churches Teach.

a. The Sign of Jonas -- 3 Days and 3 Nights

Matthew 12:39-40

b. The Preparation of the Sabbath ; the High Sabbath ;

the Sabbath Drew On.

John 19:30-31 ; John 19:38-42 ; & Luke 23:52-55

c. The Galilean Passover and the Judean Passover

1.) The Galilean Jews Observed the Passover on the

Day Before the Judean Jews.

2.) This is Why Christ Observed the Passover with His

Disciples the Night Before He was Crucified.

d. The Time that Passed Between the Lord's Death & the

Release of His Body for Burial

Matthew 27:57-58 c/f Mark 15:42-46

e. The Ladies Watched Joseph and Nicodemus Hurriedly

Prepare the Body as the Evening and Sabbath were

Drawing On.

Luke 23:53-55 c/f John 19:38-42

f. The Ladies were from Galilee, so they would have Had

to Go to the Market and Purchase the Spices and

Ointments which they would then Carefully Prepare into

a Mixture to be Applied to the Body of Jesus.

g. In Order to Buy the Materials for their Preparation they

would have had to Wait until the Markets Opened Again

on Friday Morning, Because the Judean Jews were

Observing a Passover Sabbath from Sundown Wednes-

day Until Sundown Thursday.

h. The Ladies would Spend the Day Friday Buying and

Preparing their Spices and Ointments and Observe the

Regular Sabbath Rest from Friday at Sundown Until

Saturday at Sundown.

i. Then, they would have Gotten to Bed Early that Evening

in Order to be Awake and at the Tomb around Sunrise on

Sunday Morning.

Luke 23:55 - 24:3 c/f Matthew 28:1

j. When the Ladies Got to the Tomb, they Found that Jesus

had Already Risen and was No Longer There.

Matthew 28:5-6

k. In Light of All of this We See that Jesus Died Around

3pm on Wednesday Afternoon and was Placed in the

Grave and Officially Buried at Just About Sundown on

Wednesday , which was the Official Beginning of

Thursday and Passover Evening.

Exodus 12:5-7

l. Then, He Spent 3 Days and 3 Nights in the Heart of

the Earth.

Matthew 12:39-40

m. Sundown on Wednesday to Sundown on Thursday ( And

the Evening and the Morning were the First Day )

n. Sundown on Thursday to Sundown Friday ( And the

Evening and the Morning were the Second Day )

o. Sundown on Friday to Sundown Saturday ( And the

Evening and the Morning were the Third Day )

p. The First Day was a High Sabbath because of the

Passover.

q. The Third Day was the Regular Seventh Day Sabbath.

r. Then, - Sometime Between Sundown Saturday ( which

was the Beginning of the Jewish Sunday OR the First

Day of the Week ) & Sunrise on Sunday Morning -

Jesus Tore Out the Stinger of Death & Shook the Dust of Death Off His Feet , & He Arose to Walk in

Newness of Life in Resurrection Glory.

D. The Witnesses Watching

Verse 61

1. Some Say that Jesus Never Rose but that the Ladies were

Confused and Went to the Wrong Tomb on that First Easter

Morning so long ago.

2. There are Several Reasons Why that is a Ridiculous Thing to

Believe.

a. The Proximity of the Tomb to the Cross

John 19:41-42

b. The Newness of the Tomb

John 19:41

c. The Awfulness of the Event

*** Things Like That are Branded Into the Mind & Memory

Like a Rancher's Mark on the Hide of his Cattle.

d. The Amount of Time It Would Have Taken to Prepare the

Body within the Tomb for Burial, while the Ladies Sat in

Grieving Silence and Watched.

Matthew 27:59-61

XIII. The Vain Sealing of the King's Grave by a Nervous Little

Crowd

Matthew 27:62-66

A. They were Afraid of Losing Control of their Little World to

Jesus .

John 11:47-48

B. Men Looking to Government to Keep God Out of their Lives

Verses 62-64a

1. Reminds Us of Men in Our Day.

2. People Looking to the Government to Restrict Abortion Protest-

ers from Standing Up and Speaking Out

3. People who Want Religious Values to be Removed from Secu-

lar Institutions, like Courts and Classrooms

C. The Enmity of the Infidels

Verses 63-64 -- We Remember what ... ( he ) said

1. An Infidel is One who Knows What the Bible Says but Rejects

It's Truth & Authority Over his Life.

2. The Infidels in Our Day are Also at Enmity with ( or are the

Enemies of ) the Truth of the Bible.

3. Many of them are Professors in Religious Seminaries Today

& Falsely Claim that the Bible is an Allegory and Not to be

Taken Literally and etcetera.

4. Many of them are Pastors of Mainline Denominational

Churches that - in the Name of Jesus Christ - Actually Turn

Men Away from God .

D. The Last Error WAS WORSE than the First !

Verse 63-64 c/f Matthew 28:11-15

1. They Thought that the Error was in the Teachings of Jesus,

but the Real Error was In Their Rejection Of the Lord's Teach-

ings in the First Place.

2. After Jesus DID Rise from the Dead , those Men STILL

Rejected His Teachings.

3. To Reject the Teachings of the Living Jesus Before His Death was One Error , but to Continue to Reject His Teachings After His Resurrection was Far Worse. E. A Slanderous Blessing

Verses 63-64

1. Their Slander Toward the Lord

Verse 63 -- ... that Deceiver ...

2. Their Slander Toward the Disciples

Verse 64

a. They are Thieves

b. They are Liars

3. Their Slander is Still Common Today.

4. Their Slander is a Blessing.

Matthew 5:11 -- Blessed are Ye

5. Their Slander Produces a Reward.

Matthew 5:12 -- Great is Your Reward ...

6. Their Slander Sets Us All in Good Company.

Matthew 5:12 -- For So Persecuted they the Prophets

F. Their Presumptuous Folly

Verses 64-66 -- Make the Sepulchre Sure.

*** It is Pure Folly When Men Think they Can Bind God Almighty

and Keep Him Back from Fulfilling His Word.

Numbers 23:19 ; Ecclesiastes 3:14 ; & Luke 16:17

1. How Can the Puny Seal of a Finite Mortal Man in Any Way

Prevent the Infinite Immortal God from Fulfilling His Word

& Purpose to Rise from the Dead ???

John 2:9

2. Man Cannot Restrain the Omnipotent Power of the Truth of

God's Word , but he can Arrogantly Reject It Until his Folly is

Made Obvious and his Own Judgment is Sealed By the

Same Word.

G. The Governor's Dismissive Reply

Verse 65 c/f John 19:12-16

1. Pilate had Been Forced to Go Against his Own Conscience

in Order to Condemn Jesus Christ.

a. He Knew that For Envy the Jewish Leaders had Brought

Jesus to Be Judged.

Matthew 27:18

b. His Own Wife had Warned him About Judging Jesus and

had Told Pilate that Jesus was Just.

Matthew 27:19

c. He had Examined Jesus on At Least Three Occasions &

Found No Fault In Him.

John 18:38 ; John 19:4 ; & John 19:6-12

d. He had Heard the Lord's Claim to Be a King with an Other

Worldly Kingdom & to Be the Son of God , and he was

Very Afraid to Judge Him.

John 18:36 & John 19:7-8

2. He Tells the Jews to Use the Guards they Have but Makes

It Clear that they'll Get No Further Help From Him.

Verse 65 -- Ye Have a Watch ...

3. He , then , Basically Tells them to Get Lost.

Verse 65 -- Go Your Way ...

4. His Parting Shot

a. " Make It as Sure as Ye Can. "

b. This Seems to be the Bitter Sarcasm of a Man who

Knows He has Done Something Wrong & Wants No

Further Part in the Matter.

c. It Also Seems to Reveal the Dread & Fear that Pilate has

that Jesus Just Might Be Who He Claimed to Be & Also

Might Rise from the Dead In Spite of Man's Efforts to

Stop Him.

H. The Vanity of Pursuing Self Will in Direct Opposition to

the Will of God

Verses 65-66 c/f Proverbs 14:12 & Isaiah 53:6

1. Go YOUR Way ...

2. SO They WENT.

3. Make It ( the Sepulchre ) As Sure As Ye Can.

4. They Made the Sepulchre Sure.

a. Sealing the Stone

b. Setting a Watch

II Chronicles 24:20 Says :

" Why Transgress Ye the Commandments of God

that YE CANNOT PROSPER ??? "